Court Takes Poker Seriously as Occupation

Samuel McMaster Junior plead guilty in an Albuquerque New Mexico courtroom to 26 felony counts of fraud including the sales of unregistered securities. McMaster defrauded 20 to 30 elderly persons. For his crimes, McMaster originally faced as many as 84 years in jail. The interesting thing about this case are the allowances made by the court for McMaster’s payment of restitution.

McMaster admitted to using the victims money for personal reasons and for gambling. He also testified in court that he is a professional gambler and that is his only profession.

In order to make it possible for McMaster to pay restitution to his victims the courts decision stipulated that McMaster could leave the state to play in poker tournaments in effort earn the money to pay back the victims. The court took McMaster’s job seriously, and some wonder if they didn’t set any sort of precedent by doing so.

SharkScope didn’t have a lot of information on McMaster, however, if the stats there are correct, he’s without a doubt a losing poker player.

McMaster agreed to to make $7500 monthly payments toward restitution. If he should fall behind in those payments, missing just two payments during the six month trial period McMaster’s being given to prove he can make good on his debts to the seniors, and society, he will be on his way to jail for as long as 12 years instead to pay for his crimes against the elderly. Sentencing was postponed by the courts to give McMaster an opportunity to pay the court ordered restitution.